Bill Text: CT SB00306 | 2016 | General Assembly | Chaptered
Bill Title: An Act Concerning The Office Of The Permit Ombudsman And Assistance For Bioscience Companies.
Spectrum: Committee Bill
Status: (Passed) 2016-06-09 - Signed by the Governor [SB00306 Detail]
Download: Connecticut-2016-SB00306-Chaptered.html
Substitute Senate Bill No. 306
AN ACT CONCERNING THE OFFICE OF THE PERMIT OMBUDSMAN AND ASSISTANCE FOR BIOSCIENCE COMPANIES.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:
Section 1. Subsection (b) of section 32-726 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2016):
(b) (1) The commissioner shall establish an office of the permit ombudsman for the purpose of expediting review of permit applications for projects that would (A) create at least one hundred jobs, (B) create fifty jobs, if such project is to be located in an enterprise zone designated pursuant to section 32-70, (C) be located in a brownfield, as defined in section 32-760, (D) be compatible with the state's responsible growth initiatives, (E) be considered transit-oriented development, as defined in section 13b-79kk, (F) develop green technology business, (G) develop bioscience business, or [(G)] (H) meet the criteria set forth in subdivision (2) of this subsection. Projects ineligible for review under this section are projects for which the primary purpose is to (i) effect the final disposal of solid waste, biomedical waste or hazardous waste in this state, (ii) produce electrical power, unless the production of electricity is incidental and not the primary function of the project, (iii) extract natural resources, (iv) produce oil, or (v) construct, maintain or operate an oil, petroleum, natural gas or sewage pipeline. For purposes of this section, "responsible growth initiatives" includes the principles of smart growth, as defined in section 1 of public act 09-230, and "green technology business" means an eligible business with not less than twenty-five per cent of its employment positions being positions in which green technology is employed or developed and may include the occupation codes identified as green jobs by the Department of Economic and Community Development and the Labor Department for such purposes. The permit ombudsman shall also assist and provide guidance to bioscience businesses seeking to expedite the review and approval of permits required by local zoning authorities.
(2) Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision (1) of this subsection, the commissioner may, upon consideration of the economic impact factors of the project that include, but are not limited to: (A) The proposed wage and skill levels relative to those existing in the area in which the project may be located, (B) the project's potential to diversify and strengthen the state and local economy, (C) the amount of capital investment, and (D) in the judgment of the commissioner, after consultation with the Departments of Energy and Environmental Protection, Transportation and Public Health that there is consistency with the strategic economic development priorities of the state and the municipality, deem projects eligible for expedited permitting pursuant to this section.